Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1887-01-14
BEETRUS JENKINS
Was Happily Disappointed in a
"Traveler."

Bcctrus Jenkins!' called the owner
of the name, sending hOr high clea,
voice through the boxed space whicl
served as post-oilice window.
"Yes, M responded the postmaster
with that joking freedom which adds Sc
much spice to the life of genera
store-keeper at South Illinois railroad
station. "Thrce letters this time. He.
writing nearly every day"
at wears on you to keep track of my
correspondence, don't it?" affirmed the
girl, taking her letters and rending
them open with impatient forefinger.
They were all addressed, in the same
mercantile hand, to Miss Beatrice Jen.
kins, Wabash Station, Illinois. She
compared the dates of the postmarks,
and opened the earliest, standing by
the door to read.
The smoke-dimmed interior of the
store was hung with baskets, dry goods,
bacon, ready-made clothing, and boots
and shoes. a skeleton flight of steps
asccnded across n. background of wall
TO the proprietor's residence. and up
this flight of steps went n neighbor' S
barefooted child with cofiee-pot to
borrow some household necessity, while
Beetrus read her mail. She was Il spot
of mellow color betwiXt brilliant au-
tmnn tints outside and the dim inclos-
ure. The slim, long-iingered hands
holding her letters were nicely gloved.
Her white hat was covered with plumes
just owning the salmon-pinll tint of her
small woolcn shawl. Her dress was
neutral and unobtrusive. Not so, how
ever, were her black eyes and glowing
cheeks, or the dark hair clustering to
her ears. She was very pretty girl,
and this the stationmaster always men-
tally admitted. He came out of his
post-oiiice cubby with the mailbag in
his hand.
$50 you're going to clear out to-day,
BeePn
She glanced up, perceptibly starting
and coloring.
"Goin' by rail or by rivcr?"
"Oh" said Bectrus. "Yes, we're
going up the river. Our things are
packed on the White Dove. We'd have
to go so far around and pay so much
freight the other way. But l don't like
to 90 on freight boat, and neither
does ma, though the men are just as
kind and clever rs they can be. We
have to sit up on deck all night, too,
among the machinery and grease
Yes, you will. It's II twelve hours'
run bctwiNt this and New Harmony
against the current. The White Dove
starts about three O'Clock, VIII you
be down any during the winter?n
II guess not. Our man and his wife
can tend to every thing Oh the farm.
We never do run back and forth any
after cold weather sets in"
"And l suppose you'll put the time
in dancin' and takin' music lessonsP"
at isn't so very lively in Harmony;
but I'm going on with my music
That isn't the tramp
"Yes, it is,n responded the station
master, swinging the mailbag as he
walked forth to keep appointment with
the black and kissing locomotive sliding
TO its brief pause.
Bectrus flew through the store, ran
down the back steps, and sheltered her.
self in woods which stretched away
toward the Wabash. Swift as her exit
was, she scarcely escaped the eye of
young man who swung himself off the
train, sample case in hand. His face
twinkled humorously, which 1t could
W hnin nj
tached face in spite of the marks of dis
sipation it bore. His trim dress and
brisk air bespoke the prosperous COM
mercial traveller. He went indoors
and swept a business-like glance around
before the train steamed away; there
fore, by the time the station-master had
put up the mail and served one or two
customers, he had satisfactory order
written out, and professed himself
ready to mount the next train, for
which he would have to wait quite two
hours.
"Oh, you know how to put the time
in, said the station-master, "as long
as we have any pretty girls left in the
neighborhood.n
The drummer smiled out Of the back
door at huddle of two or three cabins
and board huts, as if the capacity of
such place for producing pretty girls
was too contemplate a joke for him to
meddle with. He said he guessed he
would go down to the landing and see
ii he couldn't get skif awile.
Betty jenkins will be down that
way" suggested the station-master.
"She was in here minute ago"
"Ran from me- said the drummer.
"I'd kind of advise her to, if she
hadn't" said the station-keeper.
whats the objection to me P"
laughed the drummer "I'm only n
good gray sinner. They'll have to dip
me several times more before I'm rs
black as you South Hlslois Eg;lbdans." "
"Old lady jenkins will have crow
to pick with you, though, if she happens
to drop onto all these letters and
walks"
"You undertake too much," said the
drummer, shaking his head with gentle
persuasiyeness. "The store and post
Office and station and the neighborhood
will accumulate, and be too many for
sou"
Beetrus saw him sapntering on her